There are many occasions where a customer may need assistance in a retail establishment. Traditionally, courtesy phones could be placed at different locations throughout the establishment. A customer picking up one of these courtesy phones would automatically be connected to a phone at a service or information desk, for example, without the need for dialing (i.e. automatic ringdown). These analog wireline systems are typically owned and controlled by the retail establishment, without any connection through an external public switched telephone network (i.e. a private line).
However, there is a problem in that it may take some time for the customer to locate one of these private line automatic ringdown (PLAR) courtesy phones, if the establishment even provides them. Alternatively, a customer could use their own cellular phone to call the main phone number for the establishment. However, this requires the customer to first look up and then dial the correct number, which may or may not connect directly to the proper assistance, and possibly suffer through phone transfers or holds, all of which are inconvenient.
Accordingly, there is a need for a convenient system within a retail establishment to connect a customer with the proper assistance.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.